GKE Golden Path Configuration
The golden path is the recommended Autopilot configuration for production
clusters. It defines sensible defaults — when the user requests different
settings, apply them and note relevant trade-offs.
MCP Tools: get_cluster, create_cluster, update_cluster
Rules
- Default to the golden path. Use golden path values unless the user
requests otherwise. When deviating, note trade-offs but respect the user's
choice.
- Day-0 vs Day-1. Flag Day-0 decisions (networking, private nodes,
subnets, IP allocation) prominently — they are hard/impossible to change
after creation.
- Tool preference: MCP > gcloud > kubectl. See the
gke-basics skill's
CLI reference for full coverage matrix and override options. If the user
says "use gcloud" or "use kubectl", respect that for the session.
- Document decisions and rationale, especially for Day-0 choices and
golden path deviations.
Required Inputs
If the user is unsure, use golden path defaults.
- Project ID (required)
- Region (required, e.g.,
us-central1)
- Cluster name (required)
- Environment type: dev/test or production (defaults to production)
- Networking: bring-your-own VPC/subnet or auto-create (default:
auto-create)
- Scale expectations: expected node/pod count, workload types
- Cost constraints: Spot VM tolerance, budget considerations
Always-Apply Defaults
Recommended best practices applied by default. If the user requests a different
setting, apply it and briefly note the security or operational trade-off.
| Setting |
Golden Path Value |
autopilot.enabled |
true |
privateClusterConfig.enablePrivateNodes |
true |
masterAuthorizedNetworksConfig.privateEndpointEnforcementEnabled |
true |
secretManagerConfig.enabled + rotationInterval: 120s |
true |
rbacBindingConfig.enableInsecureBinding* |
false (both) |
workloadIdentityConfig.workloadPool |
enabled |
networkConfig.datapathProvider |
ADVANCED_DATAPATH |
networkConfig.dnsConfig.clusterDns |
CLOUD_DNS |
autoscaling.autoscalingProfile |
OPTIMIZE_UTILIZATION |
verticalPodAutoscaling.enabled |
true |
monitoringConfig components |
SYSTEM_COMPONENTS, STORAGE, POD, DEPLOYMENT, STATEFULSET, DAEMONSET, HPA, JOBSET, CADVISOR, KUBELET, DCGM, APISERVER, SCHEDULER, CONTROLLER_MANAGER |
advancedDatapathObservabilityConfig.enableMetrics |
true |
nodeConfig.shieldedInstanceConfig.enableSecureBoot |
true |
nodeConfig.workloadMetadataConfig.mode |
GKE_METADATA |
nodeConfig.gcfsConfig.enabled / gvnic.enabled |
true / true |
addonsConfig.statefulHaConfig.enabled |
true |
| Storage CSI drivers (Filestore, GCS FUSE, Parallelstore) |
enabled |
| Pod Security Standards |
restricted on production namespaces |
Customer-Configurable Settings
These have golden path defaults but customers may deviate with valid
justification. Ask before changing.
| Setting |
Default |
Why Deviate |
dnsEndpointConfig.allowExternalTraffic |
true |
Restrict if cluster only accessed from within VPC |
autoIpamConfig / createSubnetwork |
true / true |
Customer has pre-existing VPC/subnets |
maxPodsPerNode |
48 |
110 for high pod-density (costs more CIDR space) |
subnetwork |
auto-created |
Customer brings existing subnets |
| Maintenance exclusion windows |
configured (NO_MINOR_UPGRADES, 1yr) |
Customer-specific scheduling |
nodeConfig.bootDisk.diskType |
pd-balanced |
pd-ssd for I/O-intensive, pd-standard for cost |
nodeConfig.machineType |
ek-standard-8 (Autopilot) |
Varies by workload; use ComputeClasses |
Guardrails
- Do not request or output secrets (tokens, keys, service account JSON).
- Discover project/cluster context via MCP tools or
gcloud config get-value project — don't ask users to paste project IDs.
- For Day-0 decisions, always ask clarifying questions before proceeding.
- For Day-1 features, propose golden path defaults with trade-offs and let the
customer confirm.
- Do not promise zero downtime; advise PDBs, health probes, replicas, and
staged upgrades.
- When auditing existing clusters, compare against golden path and report
deviations with severity and remediation.
Golden Path Config
See golden-path-autopilot.yaml for the
full cluster-level policy settings.
1---2name: gke-golden-path-23description: Provides GKE golden path configuration defaults, production readiness checklists, and cluster default patterns. Use when designing GKE clusters, verifying GKE production readiness, or checking configurations against GKE defaults. Don't use for setting up node autoscaling specifically (use gke-scaling instead).4---56# GKE Golden Path Configuration78The golden path is the recommended Autopilot configuration for production9clusters. It defines sensible defaults — when the user requests different10settings, apply them and note relevant trade-offs.1112> **MCP Tools:** `get_cluster`, `create_cluster`, `update_cluster`1314## Rules15161. **Default to the golden path.** Use golden path values unless the user17 requests otherwise. When deviating, note trade-offs but respect the user's18 choice.192. **Day-0 vs Day-1.** Flag Day-0 decisions (networking, private nodes,20 subnets, IP allocation) prominently — they are hard/impossible to change21 after creation.223. **Tool preference: MCP > gcloud > kubectl.** See the `gke-basics` skill's23 CLI reference for full coverage matrix and override options. If the user24 says "use gcloud" or "use kubectl", respect that for the session.254. **Document decisions and rationale**, especially for Day-0 choices and26 golden path deviations.2728## Required Inputs2930If the user is unsure, use golden path defaults.3132- **Project ID** (required)33- **Region** (required, e.g., `us-central1`)34- **Cluster name** (required)35- **Environment type**: dev/test or production (defaults to production)36- **Networking**: bring-your-own VPC/subnet or auto-create (default:37 auto-create)38- **Scale expectations**: expected node/pod count, workload types39- **Cost constraints**: Spot VM tolerance, budget considerations4041## Always-Apply Defaults4243Recommended best practices applied by default. If the user requests a different44setting, apply it and briefly note the security or operational trade-off.4546Setting | Golden Path Value47------------------------------------------------------------------ | -----------------48`autopilot.enabled` | `true`49`privateClusterConfig.enablePrivateNodes` | `true`50`masterAuthorizedNetworksConfig.privateEndpointEnforcementEnabled` | `true`51`secretManagerConfig.enabled` + `rotationInterval: 120s` | `true`52`rbacBindingConfig.enableInsecureBinding*` | `false` (both)53`workloadIdentityConfig.workloadPool` | enabled54`networkConfig.datapathProvider` | `ADVANCED_DATAPATH`55`networkConfig.dnsConfig.clusterDns` | `CLOUD_DNS`56`autoscaling.autoscalingProfile` | `OPTIMIZE_UTILIZATION`57`verticalPodAutoscaling.enabled` | `true`58`monitoringConfig` components | SYSTEM_COMPONENTS, STORAGE, POD, DEPLOYMENT, STATEFULSET, DAEMONSET, HPA, JOBSET, CADVISOR, KUBELET, DCGM, APISERVER, SCHEDULER, CONTROLLER_MANAGER59`advancedDatapathObservabilityConfig.enableMetrics` | `true`60`nodeConfig.shieldedInstanceConfig.enableSecureBoot` | `true`61`nodeConfig.workloadMetadataConfig.mode` | `GKE_METADATA`62`nodeConfig.gcfsConfig.enabled` / `gvnic.enabled` | `true` / `true`63`addonsConfig.statefulHaConfig.enabled` | `true`64Storage CSI drivers (Filestore, GCS FUSE, Parallelstore) | enabled65Pod Security Standards | `restricted` on production namespaces6667## Customer-Configurable Settings6869These have golden path defaults but customers may deviate with valid70justification. **Ask before changing.**7172Setting | Default | Why Deviate73---------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------- | -----------74`dnsEndpointConfig.allowExternalTraffic` | `true` | Restrict if cluster only accessed from within VPC75`autoIpamConfig` / `createSubnetwork` | `true` / `true` | Customer has pre-existing VPC/subnets76`maxPodsPerNode` | `48` | `110` for high pod-density (costs more CIDR space)77`subnetwork` | auto-created | Customer brings existing subnets78Maintenance exclusion windows | configured (NO_MINOR_UPGRADES, 1yr) | Customer-specific scheduling79`nodeConfig.bootDisk.diskType` | `pd-balanced` | `pd-ssd` for I/O-intensive, `pd-standard` for cost80`nodeConfig.machineType` | `ek-standard-8` (Autopilot) | Varies by workload; use ComputeClasses8182## Guardrails8384- Do not request or output secrets (tokens, keys, service account JSON).85- Discover project/cluster context via MCP tools or `gcloud config get-value86 project` — don't ask users to paste project IDs.87- For Day-0 decisions, always ask clarifying questions before proceeding.88- For Day-1 features, propose golden path defaults with trade-offs and let the89 customer confirm.90- Do not promise zero downtime; advise PDBs, health probes, replicas, and91 staged upgrades.92- When auditing existing clusters, compare against golden path and report93 deviations with severity and remediation.9495## Golden Path Config9697See [golden-path-autopilot.yaml](./assets/golden-path-autopilot.yaml) for the98full cluster-level policy settings.
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